Tuesday, June 26, 2007

What a day... and what a difference a day makes...

Today has not been a great day.

After having had a nice chilled weekend, with the launch of our first challenge on Eve, and just pottering about doing bits of crafty this and that for various things - I did not expect to be slapped in the face by fate today. But I was.

Got to work to be told two of our resi's had passed away - one on Saturday, and one early this morning. I was very fond of both of them, one a lady in her sixties, who had a brain tumour, and who's been slowly deteriorating in front of our eyes, was almost, in some ways a relief. I'd hate to think of her suffering anymore than she had to. She was too nice a person for that. And the other, was a dear old chap, who we all loved to pieces. He was a long suffering, hen pecked husband, who's wife has led us many a merry old dance over the last couple of years, and who I guess, finally decided he could take no more drama... and just gave up. Very very sad. I'll miss them both.

I 'll miss another lady too, who's funeral I attended today. She was 96 when she passed away, the 9th of 15 children born to a coal miner and his wife in 1911. Like many working class girls she went at 15 into domestic service, and at 21, when she had her independence, moved to
London to be a housekeeper. She was a land girl during WW2, and later emigrated to and travelled through Canada, Australia and NZ - Unheard of for an unmarried lady of her time. Later she returned to England and was awarded the Maundy Money for her untiring charitable works, and met the Queen who visited her flat in Rochester Row, Westminster to have tea (twice!).

What a lady. She was something else.

And - as if all that is not enough... Our receptionist, my friend - had a massive heart attack last night, and is in intensive care in a coma. They think maybe undiagnosed diabetes played a part, we don't know yet. I'm just praying for a miracle. She's the same age as me... got a family, been with her hubby since they were kids at school. It's a terrible thing.

So driving home, I'm thinking about all these things... how fragile life can be, about the little girl in Scotland who is four and has just been diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour too, and who happens to be the God daughter of my own dd's inlaws... when I see a car behind me pull out to overtake. I eye the road, I know there's a bend just up ahead, then - unbelievably, coming round both of us - overtaking us BOTH I see another car.... FFS. What a bloody day.

I was tagged by Rebecca, and I will play along hon, but maybe not tonight. I've enough to think about tonight I reckon. So maybe tomorrow.

A lot can happen in a day eh?

4 comments:

Helen E Cosmetics said...

What a sucky day,hugs from me

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your oldies mum, Keep your chin up xx thinking bout you xx

Colleen said...

big hugs to you. i'm so sorry about your friends and your losses. sometimes days like that need to end before they start.

glad you are ok too

suebaru said...

Oh my Jakey...what a day :( Thinking of you xx

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